Could have used some heavier voices, like a baritone and a bass every once
in a while, not to mention a dramatic tenor… but what was on offer was
magnificent! Thanks again for the alert!
Kati
On 10/31/16, 3:25 PM, "Discussion of opera and related issues on behalf of
Alan Savada" <[log in to unmask] on behalf of
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Last night's Richard Tucker Gala moved back to Carnegie Hall for the
>first time in many years. It was a welcome change and also the addition
>of a live stream on Medici TV online was a real treat especially since we
>can all watch it for free for the next 90 days. It will also air on WQXR
>online and on the radio in New York at 9 p.m. on November 19th.
>
>As always there were cancellations and we sadly missed the debut of tenor
>Yusif Eyvazov off who broke his foot.
>It was just over two hours of music which started with Wagner's "Entrance
>of the Guests" from Tannhauser featuring the New York Choral Society who
>found the magnificent all evening, which had many latecomers parading in
>as well!
>Next came this year's Tucker Award winner Tamara Wilson who sang ""Dich
>teure Halle" from the same opera, featuring some of the most awesome
>pianissimi I have ever heard.
>She was followed by Renee Fleming who sang "Adieu not really petite
>table" from Massenet's Manon as well as Leoncavallo's Mattinata.
>Tenor Javier Camarena, who hit more high notes than anyone else all night
>held the last note of Rossini's "La danza" for what seemed to be forever.
>Nadine Sierra gave us a magnificent Lucia with "Regnava nel silenzio,"
>and Kristine Opolais made us want to go hear her upcoming Rusalka at the
>Metropolitan with that aria.
>Ms. Wilson returned with a rare treat in Verdi's "Tu al cui sguardo
>omnipossente" from I due Foscari with a stellar cabaletta.
>Last year's winner Jamie Barton returned with a deliciously melting "Mon
>coeur souvre a ta voix" from Samson and Delilah.
>Who knew how many high notes could be sung by two tenors simultaneously
>and Mr. Camarena was joined by Lawrence Brownlee for "Ah vieni nel tuo
>sangue" from Rossini's Otello in which the two of them seem to be
>jokingly holding the high notes longer and longer as they went along.
>Anna Netrebko, whom I have not heard live in some time sounded like her
>voice had just completely grown up with Giordano's "La mamma morta" from
>Chenier, followed by an unannounced opening aria from Adriana Lecouvreur
>in which her line "la mia voce" just floated through the house and then
>she wowed the entire audience with a huge crescendo and decrescendo on
>the final "morro."
>What had to be a New York Premiere was Joyce Didonato singing "Si son
>io" from Great Scott and then she introduced Jake Heggie who was in the
>audience.
>Ms. Wilson and Ms. Barton were joined by tenor Joshua Guerrero in the Act
>1 finale of Bellini's Norma. His career seems to have skyrocketed and now
>he is also a winner of one of the Tucker grants this year.
>Mr. Brownlee sang a gorgeously plaintive yet vocally showy "Seul sur la
>terre" from Donizetti's Dom Sebastien, which was followed by Butterfly's
>"Un bel di vedremo" for Ms. Opolais.
>One of the highlights was easily the duet from Handel's Giulio Cesare,
>"Son nata a lagrimar" for mezzos Barton and Didonato.
>More high notes abounded when Mr. Camarena returned with Ms. Sierra for
>the Puritani duet "Vieni fra questa braccia."
>The finale for Ms Wilson and Mr. Guerrero was a beautiful "Make Our
>Garden Grow" from Candide, again joined by the New York Choral Society
>which almost had me in tears.
>What a wonderful night it was, and the post-gala dinner this year moved
>to the ballroom at The Plaza Hotel which was a wonderful treat as we all
>mingled with the singers and many other opera stars such as Ailyn Perez
>and the great Neil Shicoff (there's a foto on my FB page of that!)
>Alan Savada
>Washington DC
>
>
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